Torque-measuring wrench



July 9, 1935. "J. H. SHARP y TORQUE MEASURING WRENCH Filed May'ls, 1931 k@im m Patented July 9, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TORQUE-MEASUBING WRENCH e v John H. Sharp, Chicago, Ill.

Application May 18, 1931, Serial No. 538,292

s claims.k (cl. 265-1) 'This invention relates to wrenches, and more particularly to one for indicating the amount of force.' or torque applied in tightening or loosening a nu 'I'he principal object of my lnventiongenerally considered, is the provision of a wrench Iadapted to indicate the amount of torque used in tightening or removing nuts, and provided with a pointer which moves when associated spring means are stressed to show on a scale 'the amount of torque applied. l

Another object of my invention is to provide a wrench adapted for use as means for applying diierent nuts for comparative test under identical loads, as means for measuring the 'amount of labor required to apply or remove different types of nuts, or as a means for measuring the locking efficiency of nuts on several applications and removals.

A further object of my invention is to provide a wrench adapted to be used with nuts as a means of measuring loss of locking eiiiciency of such nuts on account of removal and reapplication, as

a means of determining the effect of diierent types of lock nuts on bolt threads at the same load, or as a means of determining the holding nuts, it is' desirable to know not only that such power of different types of lock nuts at lvarying loads.

Other objects and advantagesof the invention relating tothe particular arrangement and construction of the various parts will become apparent as the description proceeds.

Referringto the drawing illustrating my inventiongthe scope whereof is deiined by the appended claims: Y.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of one embodiment of my wrench, a portion being shown inV section.

Figure 2 isa transverse sectional view on the line 2-2 of Figure 1, looking in thedlrection of the arrows. v

In determining the efficiency of gripf or locking nuts are difficult to remove after application, but also the amount of torque or number of inch pounds necessarily used to apply or remove such nuts. I have, therefore, devised a wrench which directly indicates the number of inch pounds employed in tightening and removing nuts.

Referring to the drawing in detail, like parts being designated by like reference characters, I have shown one form of my wrench or torque indicating device I involving a handle and housing portion 2 and a lwrench or pivotally mounted shank and jaw portion 3, thefree end of the shank portion being formed with a jaw I adapted to engage a nut (not shown) Although the jaw 4 is shown as rigid and non-adjustable, it will be understood that, if desired, I may provide an adjustable jaw'portion such as is used on monkey- Wrenches. A

The portion 2 involves a handle 5 adapted to be manually grasped in operating the wrench, and a housing portion 6. The shank and jaw portion 3 of my wrench is desirably connected to the housing portion 6 by means of ai pivot pin 1 secured to said housing portion 6 in any desired manner, as by being threadably connected thereto, as indicated atl B. The shank portion 3 has extended laterally therefrom on opposite sides of the pivot pin 'I preferably integral arms 9, said arms being desirably curved so as to be normally 'enclosed by the housing 6, and with their free ends engaging followers or spring caps IIJ vengaging or connected to the adjacent ends of preferably helical springs I I mountedand guided in the housing 6, and held under a desired degree of compression against the arms 9 by means of adjusting plugs I2 threadably mounted in the housing 6.

Means are provided for indicating the amount of force or torque applied to the handle 5 ofthe Wrench in tightening or removing an associated nut, said means, in the present embodiment, comprising a pointer I3 pivotally mounted on the housing 6 of the shank portion 2, as by means of a pivot pin I4. Said pointer may be tightened on the pin I4 so as to be movable therewith in any desired man ner, as by means of a nut I5' engaging the threaded-end I6 of the pin I4 and tightly holding the pointer I3 against a shouldered portion I1 on said pin. The pin may be held in place in the housing portion 6 ofthe wrench by any desired means, such as the plug I8 threadably connected to the housing 6 and closing the pin receiving aperture I 9 therein. The 40 pointer moves over a scale 2li which may be calibrated to register the force or torque applied to the handle 5 of the Wrench in applying or removing a nut from an associated bolt in terms of inchpounds or other appropriate units.

As atmeans for transmitting motion between the jaw or pivoted portion .3 of the wrench and the pointer I3 to indicate relative angular move- `ment andcorresponding torque, a gear wheel or the most efficient operating position and degree of torque applied to said device.

2 aoovgaeo desired manner, as by means of an enlarged end pressure, a dial on one face of said housing, a portion 24 lthreaded into the housing 6, as shown pointer pivotally mounted on said housing and most clearly in Figure 2. That part o f the shank movable over said dial, and means for transmitportion 3 adjacent the idler 2l, and between the ting motion from said shank to saidpointer, upon arms 9, is formed with gear teeth 25 meshing with movement of said housing and handle portion the idler gear teeth, as shown most clearly vin Figwith respect to the wrench portion, for indicating ure 1, so that upon relative angular movement of the amount of torque applied to said device. the shank portion 2 of the .wrench upon applying 2. A torque indicating device comprising a force to the handle 5 thereof, said gear teeth 25 housing portion with a manually operable hanon the jaw portion 3 transmit corresponding `modle extending therefrom, a wrench portion with tion through the idler 2l to the pinion 22 and a jaw adapted to engage a nut and a shank exthrough the pin I4 to the pointer I3 to indicate tending therefrom and with its end portion rethe torque on the associated scale 20. ceived in and pivoted to said housing, coil springs From the foregoing disclosure, it will be seen guided in said housing and acting on said arms on that I have devised a torqueindicating' wrench oppOSite Sides 0f Che DVOted Portion 0f Said Shank, which is useful for all kinds oi force measuret0 normally resiliently hold the parts in neutral ments on nuts, being especially designed for grip relative positions, plugs threaded in the housing or locking nuts. By providing the spring. adjustand engaging the ends of said springs away from ing plugs I2, not only may the associated springs said arms for adjusting the spring pressure, a dial II be conveniently applied and removed for reon one face of said housing, a pointer pivotally placement, when necessary, but the desired initial mounted on said housing and movable over said tension may be applied thereto for not only setdial, and gearing means forv transmitting motion ting the pointer at zero position, when the shank from said shank to said pointer, upon movement is in neutral position generally aligned with the of said housing and handle portion with respect handle, but also'for adjusting the mechanism for to the wrench portion, for indicating the amount y 3. A torque indicating device comprising a. Although a preferred embodiment of my invenlhousing portion with a manually operable hantion has been illustrated, it will be understood dle extending therefrom, a wrench portion with that modifications may be made `Within the 'spirit a jaw adapted to engage a nut and a shank exand scope of the appended claims without departing from ymy invention.

I claim:-

of spring compression.

ceived in and pivoted to said housing, arms extending laterally from the pivoted portion of 1. A torque indicating device comprising a said shank, springs disposed in said housing andl housing portion with a manually operable handle acting, substantially parallel to the handle on extending therefrom, a, wrench portion with a said arms on oppositesides of the pivoted portion, jaw adapted to engage a. nut and afshank extending therefrom and-with its end portion received relative positions, means for adjusting the spring in and pivoted to said housing, arms laterally from the pivoted portion of said shank, and means for transmitting motion from said springs disposed in said housing and acting in the shank to said pointer, upon movement of said same general direction, on opposite ends of said housing and handle portion with respect to the arms, so as to normally hold the shank in neutral Wrench portion, for indicating the amount of position-generally aligned with the handle, movtorque applied through said device to a nut.

able,means engagingI .the ends of said .springs away from said arms for adjusting the spring JOHN H. SHARP.

tending therefrom and with its end portion reto normally resiliently hold the parts in neutral extending pressure, a dial, a pointer movable over said dial, s 

